If you were recently arrested and charged with a DUI, be sure to secure a lawyer right away, especially if this is your first offense. Your lawyer can advise you of what may happen in court and how you can contribute to receiving a lighter or lesser sentence for your actions. Here are some things your attorney may advise you to do or help you do so that the judge may look favorably and/or mercifully upon you.
Enroll in a Drug Rehab or Detox Program
Until you appear before the judge, you will probably have enough time to sit and contemplate what is to come. Rather than accept whatever fate you receive, you could be spending that time wisely. Your lawyer may recommend that you enroll in a drug rehab or detox program to show that you are making some effort to refrain from bad choices in the future. Since the drug rehab or detox program also helps you wean off of your drug of choice or alcohol, it is not such a bad idea to at least attempt it for your overall health and well-being.
Sober up and Dry Out
You absolutely do not want to appear before the judge in any incapacitated state. No judge is going to offer leniency or a lighter sentence to someone who cannot appear sober for the hearing. In fact, it could have quite the opposite effect, and you may end up with a heavy-handed sentence if you look high or act drunk. If you feel that you cannot sober up and dry out and remain that way on your court day, you may want to have a family member check you into a facility or request that you remain in jail until the day of so that the temptation is far removed from you. If you choose to stay in jail until your hearing, your lawyer could request that you remain "on remand," which means that the county or city jail keeps you until your hearing.
Dress Cleanly And Respectfully
Dressing cleanly and respectfully for court is a must. You should wear a suit if you are a man and a nice dress or pantsuit if you are a woman. If you do not have appropriate attire for your hearing, be sure to tell your lawyer and see if there is a loaner suit program available in the jail where you are currently residing or with the court system. Some people who cannot afford a nice set of clothes for court dates may also apply to local clothing closets for the impoverished to gain help with getting appropriate attire for court.
For more information, consider contacting a DUI attorney like those at the Jack Weatherill Law Offices.Jack Weatherill Law Offices.
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